Apparatus for shaping a wooden workpiece according to a template configuration

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for shaping a wooden workpiece according to a template configuration has a carriage displaceable on a track parallel to a guide edge of a template clamped on a table to one side of the track. A workpiece is clamped to a table to the opposite side of the track. A slide is displaceable on the carriage transverse to the track and carries on one end a roller engaging the guide edge of the template and on its other end a driven tool for cutting the shape of the template into the workpiece. The slide is urged toward the workpiece so that virtually no lateral force is exerted against the workpiece, the guide edge acting as a stop positively determining the transverse position of the slide. Another template can support a second feeler roller which is connected via a chain or the like to the tool to raise and lower this tool according to the guide edge on the second template for two-sided cutting of the workpiece.

llnited States Patent [191 Schmidt Feb. 11, 1.975

[75] inventor: Erich Schmidt, Wien, Austria [73] Assignee:Maschinenfabrik Zucltermann Komm. Ges., Wien, Austria [22] Filed: Mar.19, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 342,803

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 19, 1972 Austria 2294/72[52] US. Cl 144/144 R, 83/413, 83/565, 90/132, 144/2 R, 144/134 R [51]Int. Cl. B27g 5/06 [58] Field of Search 144/3 R, 134 R, 134 A,

144/136 R, 144 R, 144 A, 145 R, 145 A144 S, 2 R; 90/13.5, 13.2, 13.1;83/565, 413

Jentsch 83/413 X 3,739,826 6/1973 Schell 83/413 X PrimaryExaminer-Andrew R. .luhasz Assistant Examiner-W. D. Bray Attorney,Agent, or FirmKar1 F. Ross; Herbert Dubno [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus forshaping a wooden workpiece according to a template configuration has acarriage displaceable on a track parallel to a guide edge of a templateclamped on a table to one side of the track. A workpiece is clamped to atable to the opposite side of the track. A slide is displaceable on thecarriage trans verse to the track and carries on one end a rollerengaging the guide edge of the template and on its other end a driventool for cutting the shape of the template into the workpiece. The slideis urged toward the workpiece so that virtually no lateral force isexerted against the workpiece, the guide edge acting as a stoppositively determining the transverse position of the slide. Anothertemplate can support a second feeler roller which is connected via achain or the like to the tool to raise and lower this tool according tothe guide edge on the second template for two-sided cutting of theworkpiece.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR SHAPING A WOODEN WORIQPIECEACCORDING TO A TEMPLATE CONFIGURATION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to a copying apparatus. More particularly, thisinvention concerns a system for copying the shape of a template in awooden workpiece.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the production of furniture and the likeit is often necessary to produce in quantity identical unusually shapedparts. Legs for tables, headboards for beds, and the like are cut fromworkpiece blanks and must be identical in all respects.

The most commonpractice for such elements is to secure to them atemplate having the shape desired. A router arrangement having a smoothcollar is used to cut this shape into the workpiece, the collar ridingagainst the template while the cutting bit engages and shapes theworkpiece. Clearly such a method requires a very secure attachment ofthe template to the workpiece and of the workpiece to a table or thelike. Similarly each workpiece must have its own template. Such anarrangement is quite difficult when used with arrangements wherein aplurality of workpieces are mounted on respective carriages or dolliesthat move along a transport path past a plurality of work stations.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION In my copending application Ser.No. 274,518 filed July 24, 1972 now US. Pat. No. 3,814,153 for an AP-PARATUS FOR PERFORMING A SERIES OF OP- ERATlONS ON A SUCCESSION OF WOODWORK- PIECES there is described a system wherein a train of carriages isdisplaced stepwise along a working guide or tract along which arearranged a plurality of shaping machines such as borers, sanders,milling machines, and the like. A return guide coextensive with theworking guide is arranged thereunder and at both of the upstream anddownstream ends there is provided an apparatus for removing a carriagefrom the one end of one guide and thereafter transferring it to theother guide. Each carriage is provided with clamping means for retaininga workpiece, and means is provided for laying a workpiece blank on thecarriage at the upstream end of the working guide and for removing ashaped workpiece from the carriage at the downstream end of the workingguide.

According to a feature of that invention each guide track is a pair ofparallel round-section rods on whichthe carriages slide. The means atthe ends for transferring carriages from one guide to the other are twopairs of such guide rods spaced apart at the same distance as in theguides and simultaneously registrable with the ends of both guides sothat rotation about an axis parallel to the necessarily parallel guiderods can permit a workpiece which is slid off the working guide and ontothe upper set of guide rods of the transferring means can be slid offonto the return guide after 180 rotation of the arrangement. Thisadvantageously causes the empty carriage to be returned to the loadingor up stream end of the working guide upside down so that any woodshavings or the like are automatically dumped off.

According to another feature of my earlier invention, means is providedalong the working guide-track to turn over the workpieces as they arestopped alongside it. This means has a pair of arms each provided with apair of jaws and means for displacing it toward and away from theworkpiece and for closing and opening the jaws as well as rotating themthrough 180. In this manner the arms are advanced and the jaws areclosed to grip the workpiece, then the arms are raised and the IQ jawsare rotated through 180; Thereafter the arms are lowered, the jawsopened, and the arms withdrawn.

The interval between cycles is determined by the longest individualworking step, that amount of time needed for the slowest machine alongthe line to complete its particular operation, plus sufficient time todisplace the carriages. In reality a nominal amount of time is spentdisplacing the workpieces in comparison to the amount of time spentactually working them. In addition, means is provided for immobilizingthe entire train during the actual simultaneous shaping operations witheach carriage held rigidly either sandwiched between two other cars orabutting one other car and a stop provided on the machine, which stop isonly removed from the carriage's path during displacement of thecarriages. This positive immobilization means that extremely accuratepreparing of the workpieces is possible, since each workpiece is rigidlyheld on the bed of an immobilized carriage.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the presentinvention to I provide an improved system for shaping or finishing aworkpiece.

Another object is the provision. of an apparatus which employsprinciples of my above-described earlier invention for the serialproduction of shaped wooden workpieces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1 attain these objects according to myinvention in a system wherein the template is clamped to a table to oneside of a track and the workpiece is clamped to a table to the otherside of this track. A carriage is provided which can ride along thetrack, and a slide displaceable on the carriage transverse to the trackis provided at one end with a roller engaging a guide edge of thetemplate and at its other end with a roller engaging a guide edge of thetemplate and at its other end with a driven material-removing tool forshaping the workpiece. The roller engages against the guide edge in onedirection and means is provided between the carriage and the slide tourge the slide in this one direction so that the guide edge defines forthe slide a stop which establishes the slides position relating to thetracks. The tool is a shaping or milling head, a sanding drum, or thelike and is rotated by a motor on the slide about a vertical axiscoplanar with and parallel to the axis of free rotation of the feelerroller.

Such an arrangement applies virtually no force to the workpiece todisplace it on its table. The router head, which may rotate at speedapproaching 25,000 rpm, engages the side of the workpiece and removesmaterial without displacing the workpiece at all. Similarly theworkpieces can be replaced after shaping without the necessity ofremoving and otherwise handling the template. The slide is merely pushedback and a new workpiece is clamped in place.

According to another feature of this invention the workpiece table is adolly or carriage displaceable on a track next to the guide track forthe carriage carrying the slider. In this manner a succession ofworkpieces can be shaped according to a single template, therebysubstantially reducing production costs.

In accordance with yet another feature of this invention the tool isvertically reciprocal and a second template having an upper guide edgeis engaged by a second feeler roller. This second roller is urged downonto the second guide edge of this second template and is connected tothe tool such that the tool is displaced vertically as the second rollerraises and drops as it moves along its guide edge. In this manner theworkpiece is given a shape on both its vertical and horizontal sides.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other objects, features, andadvantages will become apparent from the following with reference to theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of a second embodiment of thisinvention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION The apparatus of FIG. 1 has a track 1 formed by twoparallel round bars la on which rides a carriage 7 which is displaceablein the direction shown by arrow 40 by means of a cylinder 41. Thiscarriage 7 is provided with a guide 9 in which a slide 8 is displaceableat a right angle to the direction 40 as shown by arrow 42.

To one side of the track there is provided a workpiece table 2 formed bya carriage 43 riding on a track 44 parallel to the track 1. A successionof such carriages or dollies 43 move along the track 44 as described inmy above-identified copending patent application. Each such carriage 43is provided with a pair of clamps 6 which are vertically reciprocal toclamp a wooden workpiece 3 to its upper surface.

To the other side of the track 1 there is provided a template table 4onto which a template 5 is secured by a pair of pneumatic or springclamps 16. The two tables 2 and 3 are across from each other to oppositesides of the track 1.

The slide 8 is biased in a direction toward the table 2 by a pneumaticcylinder 20 carried on an upright 21 extending from the guide 9 andhaving a piston rod 22 engaged against a lug 23 on the slide 8. A springcould take the place of cylinder 22. This cylinder is normallypressurized. In the side of the slide 8 toward the table 2 there isjournaled a vertical shaft 10 on whose lower end is carried a millingtool 11 and on whose upper end is carried a pulley 12 connected toanother pulley 13 by a V-belt 14. A motor 15 mounted on the slide 8drives the pulley 13 at high speed, thereby rotating the tool 11.

The side of the slide 8 toward the table 4 is provided with an extension17 on whose end is provided a vertical shaft 19 on which a roller 18 isfreely rotatable. This feeler roller 18 can ride along a guide edge 5aon the template 5. This guide edge 5a therefore acts as a stop whichdetermines the position of the slide 8 transverse to the guide 1.

In operation the motor 15 rotates the head 11 at high speed while thecylinder 41 slowly displaces the carriage 7 along its track 1 with theroller 18 following along the guide edge 5a. The shape of the edge 5awill be imparted to the edge of the workpiece 3. Since the tool 11rotates at high speed there is virtually no pressure exerted on theworkpiece 3 to displace it on its table 2. After the workpiece is shapedalong its entire length the cylinders 20 and 41 are pressurized in theopposite direction to withdraw the tool 11 from the workpiece and returnthe carriage 7 to its starting position. At the same time the nextcarriage 43 is moved up next to the template table 4.

The same reference numerals are used in FIG. 2 for functionallyidentical structure.

I-Iere, however, the slide 8 is provided with an arm 24 in which a rod26 is vertically displaceable. A fork 25 on the lower end of this rod 26holds a second feeler roller 28 rotatable about a horizontal axis 44transverse to the guide 1. Underneath this roller 28 a height template29 having an upper guide edge 29a is secured by clamps 45 to the edge ofthe table 4. A pneumatic cylinder 27 urges the fork 25 down to hold theroller 28 in contact with the guide edge 29a.

The horizontally displaceable feeler roller 18 can be adjustedvertically and horizontally relative to the slide 8 by adjustment screws46 and 47. The template 5 is made of plywood in this case and, like thetemplate 5 of FIG. 1, is fixed adjacent the linear path of the feelerroller 18.

The tool 39 is formed with a cylindrical lower region 48 and aflared-out upper region 40 and is mounted on a shaft 34 which isvertically displaceable in a sleeve or roller 33 carried on the end 31of the slide 8 turned toward the workpiece table 2. A verticallyelongated pulley 35 on the shaft 34 is connected via a flat narrow belt36 to a pulley 37 carried on a motor 38 mounted on the slide 8. Thusrotation of the motor 38 rotates the tool 39.

A nonextensible flexible element such as a bowden cable 30, ball chain,or the like is connected between the collar 33 and the rod 26. Thiscollar 33 is vertically reciprocal on the end 31 so that as the roller28 moves up, the tool 39 will move down, and vice versa. In this mannerthe shape of the upper edge 29a of the template 29 is reproduced invertical reverse in the workpiece 3 by the portion 40 of the tool 39,whereas the horizontally contoured edge 5a is reproduced in theworkpiece 3 by the portion 48 of milling tool 39.

In both arrangements the workpiece is completely independent of thetemplate and can be secured easily to the table on which it is shaped.After shaping it is a simple job to unclamp the finished workpiece andput a new one in its place. In addition, and this is particularlyimportant in roughing-in operations wherein large wood chips areproduced, the separation of the template from the workpiece preventschips from getting between the feeler roller and the guide edge andthereby giving a false reading to the shaping tool.

I claim: I

1. An apparatus for reproducing the shape of a guide edge of a templatein a wooden workpiece, said apparatus comprising:

a support;

a straight tool track on said support;

a carriage displaceable along said tool track;

means for displacing said carriage along said tool track;

a template table fixed on said support next to said tool track;

means for securing said template to said template table with said guideedge facing in one direction transverse to said track;

a straight workpiece track on said support parallel to said tool track;

a succession of workpiece tables displaceable along said workpiece tracknext to said tool track and past said template table;

means for securing respective wooden workpieces to said workpiecetables;

a slide on said carriage displaceable transverse to said track;

a roller on said slide engageable in the opposite direction transverseto said tracks with said edge of said template;

means on said carriage for urging said slide in said opposite directionfor forcibly biasing said roller against said edge, said edge serving asa stop for said slide in said opposite direction;

a material-removing tool on said slide engageable with some of theworkpieces adjacent said carriage; and

means on said carriage for rotating said tool on displacement of saidcarriage along said track for reproducing in said workpiece the shape ofsaid edge whereby said tool exerts substantially no force upon theworkpiece in said directions. in said workpiece the shape of said edgewhereby said tool exerts substantially no force upon the workpiece insaid directions.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said roller is rotatableabout a roller axis, said tool being rotatable about an axis coplanarwith said roller axis.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said workpiece table islocated to one side of said track and said template table is located tothe other side of said track across from said workpiece table.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising means forsecuring a second template to said template table, a second rollercarried on said slide and engaging the guide edge of said secondtemplate, and means positively linking said second roller to said toolfor vertically displacing said tool on displacement of said secondroller by said second template.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said second template has asecond guide edge extending substantially parallel to said track, saidapparatus further comprising means for urging said second roller againstsaid edge, said means positively linking said second roller to said toolbeing a nonextensible flexible element.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said roller axis is verticaland said tool is rotatable about a vertical axis.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said tool is a shaping head.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating saidtool is a motor on said slide.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said means for urging saidslide is a pneumatic cylinder braced between said slide and saidcarriage.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO.3,865,162

DATED 11 February 1975 INVENTOR(S)I Erich SCHMIDT It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

line 37 40, column 5, line 31 to column 6,

line 1, delete "in said said directions."

Signed and Sealed this nineteenth D y 0f Augusf1975 [SEAL] A nest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer (mnmr'ssr'mwruflare'nrs and Trademarks

1. An apparatus for reproducing the shape of a guide edge of a templatein a wooden workpiece, said apparatus comprising: a support; a straighttool track on said support; a carriage displaceable along said tooltrack; means for displacing said carriage along said tool track; atemplate table fixed on said support next to said tool track; means forsecuring said template to said template table with said guide edgefacing in one direction transverse to said track; a straight workpiecetrack on said support parallel to said tool track; a succession ofworkpiece tables displaceable along said workpiece track next to saidtool track and past said template table; means for securing respectivewooden workpieces to said workpiece tables; a slide on said carriagedisplaceable transverse to said track; a roller on said slide engageablein the opposite direction transverse to said tracks with said edge ofsaid template; means on said carriage for urging said slide in saidopposite direction for forcibly biasing said roller against said edge,said edge serving as a stop for said slide in said opposite direction; amaterial-removing tool on said slide engageable with some of theworkpieces adjacent said carriage; and means on said carriage forrotating said tool on displacement of said carriage along said track forreproducing in said workpiece the shape of said edge whereby said toolexerts substantially no force upon the workpiece in said directions. insaid workpiece the shape of said edge whereby said tool exertssubstantially no force upon the worKpiece in said directions.
 2. Theapparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said roller is rotatable about aroller axis, said tool being rotatable about an axis coplanar with saidroller axis.
 3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said workpiecetable is located to one side of said track and said template table islocated to the other side of said track across from said workpiecetable.
 4. The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising means forsecuring a second template to said template table, a second rollercarried on said slide and engaging the guide edge of said secondtemplate, and means positively linking said second roller to said toolfor vertically displacing said tool on displacement of said secondroller by said second template.
 5. The apparatus defined in claim 4wherein said second template has a second guide edge extendingsubstantially parallel to said track, said apparatus further comprisingmeans for urging said second roller against said edge, said meanspositively linking said second roller to said tool being a nonextensibleflexible element.
 6. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein saidroller axis is vertical and said tool is rotatable about a verticalaxis.
 7. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said tool is a shapinghead.
 8. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said means forrotating said tool is a motor on said slide.
 9. The apparatus defined inclaim 1 wherein said means for urging said slide is a pneumatic cylinderbraced between said slide and said carriage.